Leaving My Neighbourhood

I first moved into my neighbourhood over 7 years ago. As you can imagine, everything in it is comfortable and familiar. I know that the brick building across the street always has bird feeders and that there are beautiful sweet peas in the garden behind the church rectory. I know the shortcut through the parking lot and beside the big brick apartment complex.

I know where the potholes are, and can give you a brief history of every landmark within a few-block radius. I know every aisle of the grocery store and that it doesn’t carry almond M&Ms. I know where my post office is, and when it’s open. I know that the hippies next door weed whack their lawn every summer because it doesn’t actually contain any grass. I know the menus of the closest restaurants.

When I got married a few years ago, we chose to stay in my place (a rather squashy-for-two condo) and save up some money. And finally, after months of work and real estate shenanigans, my husband and I will be moving to a new neighbourhood. By the end of this month, I will no longer be a resident of our much-loved street.

I know our new ‘hood, in a sort of vague, roundabout way – my grandparents lived there when I was a child, and I went to university nearby. It’s lovely. I’m just having a bit of a hard time with the sheer amount of pesky, adult things that I will have to change, which seems absurd now that I’m writing it down. Who cares if my pharmacist, my dentist, my optometrist are all nearby? I can change them. People do it all the time. Right? (The other day, I actually thought to myself, “Oh NO. I have to break in a new coffee shop!!” Yes, I realize that is ridiculous.)

I’m working on setting aside the anxiety – because really, it’s an adventure, and one I’m excited to start. It’s a privilege to be able to move somewhere new and explore. I like the huge trees and the cute back alleys. I’m happy to have new restaurants to try and trails to walk. We will have a yard. A garage! A sidewalk to shovel. A guest bedroom!

I’m ready, but part of my heart will always live in my old neighbourhood.

Carla is an Edmonton-based communications professional and social media citizen. She likes traveling, reading, blogging, beef dip sandwiches and silly internet memes. Follow her adventures here on This Birds Day or on her website, putnamkerr.com. If you’re on Twitter, feel free to drop her a tweet, too!

I will be leaving my neighborhood behind to a new one out that way, hopefully sooner rather than later. I am excited about the change, but am struggling with how much my former hood probably has changed in the 10 years I’ve been gone.